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Profile Information

Full Name:

Gillian Muessig

Display Name:

SEOmom

Job Title:

Cofounder

Company:

Moz

Type of Work:

Other

Location:

Seattle, WA

Favorite Thing About SEO:

SEO democratizes the spread of ideas on the web

Bio:

Futurist, startup whisperer, and product visionary with Anne Kennedy at Outlines Venture Group. I help CEOs create corporate cultures that build intense brand communities and attract best in class talent to expand and thrive in fast changing marketplaces. I'm the co-founder of Moz, Advisor to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and host of CEOcoach at WebmasterRadio.fm every Monday at 1PM EST

We all know that there’s gold in the long tail. We know that there are huge numbers of searches, many of them completely unique, in the long tail. It provides an average of seven times the data of short tail metrics. Excuse me? Seven times? We are definitely not focusing enough attention on the long tail!

In almost every office situation, I've noticed the same as you have - the daily tasks get interrupted by phone calls. One of the amazing time management processes that SEOmoz has in place is a standard process of 'protecting' the team from phone calls. It's not that NO phone calls get past the front desk, but every call is screened first. We use IM or even a personal stop at the desk to be sure whether a call should be passed through.

For example, if I don't let the front office know that I'm expecting a call, they let callers know (either from the road or when I'm at my desk) that I am either out or unavailable at the moment. It provides huge blocks of worktime without interruption.

Simply scheduling a time of day to answer emails and a time of day to take phone calls makes a huge impact on productiity. Otherwise, as you note, the day fritters away, sorting through emails and being at the beck and call of the phone.

TAGFEE wasn't invented here. Tthe acronym was, but not the tenets themselves. It's just that most people leave them at home.

It is something that is deeply ingrained into the busines process at 'Moz. It's a matter of bringing your personal values to work and recognizing the value of the team that works with you.

Without a team of employees, you have no company. Without you, the team has no core. Everyone can work somewhere else or with someone else, the team and the entrepreneur. But choosing to work with a team that believes in the core beliefs you do makes a huge difference in the quality of life, the product/service, and ultimately, the success of the company.

Congratulations on your quick success. I'm sure it's due to the predictive power algorithm. Loosely translated, it goes something like this: speak it as if it were so, and so it shall be. Enjoy your success!

Thanks for the kind words! Glad we can help you kick your projects into high gear. We're working on lots more cool stuff and launching them over the coming months... so stay tuned and enjoy! February 08, 2011

Brown's short style and 'thanking' process is really about letting followers know who else supports him. As he thanks various groups, his mere mention of them increases his credibility. It also provides his followers with fodder for spreading the word for him. They have a continuous supply of usable info about the candidate to share with their peers.

Ie:

Brown supporters can chat with their friends over dinner, saying, "Brown's getting support from XX, YY, and ZZ groups or even from this-person. He thanked them for their support on twitter today." Very useful if you happen to think highly of the opinion of the group or person mentioned. You're also more likely to get in the fray if you know the candidate is likely to answer you.

Whitmans supporters have no info to share. What use is it to say, "Whitman stopped at some SMBs for lunch on her campaign trail today." That doesn't even say she's a supporter of SMBs - it just says she's traveling and stopping for lunch at something other than a national or multi-national fast food chain.

So, while Whitman is actually being more personal about her tweets - sharing more personal info - Brown's style increase the likelihood of

This begs the question: What info should your website contain that will bring people back frequently and regularly to your site? For a sports site, it used to be things like realtime scores. Now that you can get that info without clicking away from google, it bears some reconsideration.

You can't delete the info - it's still getting you to rank well. But you'll need to come up with something else that will make folks click through now or return later, even if they only came to see the running stats.

Good final point about remembering to optimize the quality of the secondary landing page - they do gets lots of clicks and as Rand notes, sometimes more than the primiary click once they're in place. I see quality differences, in which the second page is often 'forgotten', resulting in lower overall conversion rates.

I notice the general consensus here that buying links contains varying levels of risk. Mikkel in Denmark, notes below that he sees very little risk; he sees it as a valuable option. Rand in the US opines that the benefit to risk ratio is weighted against our clients; he won't recommend it.

As I travel and hear this argument played out frequently at search conferences around the world, I think I see a pattern of varying levels of risk from country to country and industry to industry.

I would counsel that SEOs (whether inhouse or agency) take into account these factors when the conversation comes up:

Begin with a basic acknowledgement:

Google is a private company with an index in which the Client/Company wishes to be included as one of the top results for specific keywords. Google has a TOS which companies who wish to be included in the index are expected to follow. Link buying is forbidden by that TOS.

Hence:

Risks: Look at the general risk/value ratio being expereinced by companies who are obviously engaged in (spammy and not-so-spammy) link buying in your area and in your industry.

Cost: As noted right here in the comments, link buying can be expensive. What else could you do with a link buying budget? Consider effectiveness, speed of results, risks, and longevity of results. Compare them to link buyijng.

I predict that in most instances in most industries in the US, link buying won't be the highest and best use of funds. In other countries however, that balance may be different.

Excellent post. Superb copywriting is a powerful tool in the SEOs hands. One can consider it along the same lines as writing powerful copy for a landing page:. The snippet is googles gift to you: an intro to your landing page that has the power to increase your click-through and conversion rates. May 23, 2009

I see your point about the number of assumptions. But I do think the graphs provide some compelling evidence that the assumptions have value.

Moreover, I think Nick's point is more about application for SEO tasks. As PageRank appears to be a conglomerate of page-level ranking, site authority, and trust, it's not sufficient to give you a game plan for improvement on your page(s) or site as a whole.

Linkscape separates the metrics so you can determine which elements you need to address. Determining whether the issue is domain strength, authority to a specific page, or trust can give you a much clearer idea of what to do to improve your rankings.

We'll hold off predators long enough for you to brag to all your clients that you have them ranking #1 straight out of the gate for all their top keywords at the web's newest search engine. ...and EVERYBODY knows the web is all about what's NEW, right?

You are the world's BEST SEO! Oh wait. That slot seems to have a result already.

Sitting in the PubCon keynote, Guy Kawasaki just weighed in on this subject seconds ago: "Twitter is the best thing to happen to the Internet since search."

There are all these newly unemployed people who can use open source products such as mySQL and other free stuff, and they can market it through Twitter - also free and you don't need costly SEOs to help you out - and when you get to the VCs, you already have something that's working, including the marketing.

It was wonderful to have you with us. Although we'll miss you very much, we know it's best for you now. As Garrison Keillor (and I) always say, "Be well, do good work, and stay in touch." January 04, 2009

I did notice that Mario changed his overalls in '87 (to blue) and again in '90 (to black) and '91 (back to blue). And in 2008, his stone-washed, muted blue/green blend is absolutely the height of fashion.

Nevertheless, it appears that this 'medicine' has some positive effect and nonegative effect. It seems to me that while one might be disappointed with the volume and length/consistency of any additional results, there is no harm in setting the crawl rate to take advantage of whatever you can get from it.

I'd love to see whether the Tues-Wed-Thurs pattern continues over time. That would be a valuable piece of information to have about when to set deadlines for site updates.

Thanks for the shoutout, Rand. Credit for the quote, 'Moderation in all things, including moderation.' which I freely admit I apply to numerous situations, belongs to Benjamin Franklin.

Michael - Oscar certainly had a point and there are times when such counsel is needed. In the same vein as Oscar, I have been heard to say, "It's never enough until it's too much." I used this phrase when demonstrating to my children just how to pour maple syrup onto fresh hot pancakes on a cold weekend morning.

Sarah can answer your question about whether/what legal options are open to us to prevent or stop someone from unreasonably blogging negative reports about SEO's services or service providers in general.

However, from years of experience I can say without reservation: If it doesn't feel right (and you will know it in your gut if it does or not) don't accept the client.

And the corollary is: If you have signed with a client and are beginning to feel that your client is not happy with your service, cut and run as quickly as possible. Here’s how:

Contact the client and acknowledge things are not working well for both parties. Indicate that you are sorry that you are unable to meet their needs/expectations. Say that you are going to 1) end the relationship and 2) make sure they have received appropriate products and services for the fees they have paid to date (or give them a full refund). If possible, try to make sure they leave the relationship feeling that they received more than they paid for. In some circumstances, it’s also appropriate to offer a list of reliable, trustworthy alternative providers who may be a better match for their needs.

In the end, the best defense against unwarranted poor press is to avoid getting involved with the clients who tend to write it.

It will be in the Convention Center on Nov 12, from 7-10. I'll know the exact room when I get to our booth. I'll have the tickets at the booth, so stop by to see me and pick them up. ...and yes, you're on the list! :)

The same treatment happens here in the US, not just China. I lived in NYC for more than 25 yrs. and have seen these practices first hand. This happens to Central and South American immigrants in the US as well. It's unacceptable no matter where it happens, but does not necessarily point to government complicity.

But I wonder about people coming to China to work on construction. From what I have seen, read, and heard, the last thing China wants is to import anyone, let alone laborors. They continue to focus on making sure their own people have jobs and the one-child policy, as well as others speaks to their conviction to lower the population, not increase it with immigrant workers.

"It" is the web at the moment. And "it" inside the web are the pieces Rand mentioned - SEO, PPC, etc. One can even 'Get It' for a small subset of one of those subsets, ie: >Web >Internet Marketing >SEO >Social Media

That's reasonable on the surface. But keep in mind that businesses are extensions of the owners' souls. They are integrally entwined with the views, ethics, morals, goals and agendas of the owner(s).

Business owners put political signs on their properties to their benefit and their detriment. They use their hard earned profits to donate to political causes and candidates, again to their benefit and sometimes to their business detriment because they believe so firmly in the ideal.

I wouldn't dismiss ANY site holding a political discussion as having irrelevant content, even one encouraging blogging and handing out tee shirts, as being offf-topic. Not related to plumbing? Sure. Not related to the website owner's unquenchable love of politcal debate, freedom of speech, freedom to promote such discussion on a platform which she/he has created through his/her business efforts? Not so sure.

As a matter of fact, I'd say that if the owner of the website approves this 'link bait', she/he is probably engaged in the idea, not just the links. I'll step out on the plank here: I think you'll find that hundreds of thousands of independent business owners are engaged in the political process both on the local and national levels, as well as art, philanthropy, sports, and many other topics. Joseph Hirschorn comes to miind.

I think you'll find that business owners and by extension their mouthpieces (websites, ads, donations, events, sponsorships) are multi-faceted and complex. It is that richness that we enjoy so much through their efforts on the web. As a business builder and owner, I would be sorry to see that depth removed from commercial websites because it might be considered to be off-topic.

Only 15%? That's a huge chunk to be based on just one element of success... in this case, type in traffic. Imagine that someone told you in a brick and mortar business, "Rent this specific shop and the additional volume of traffic walking and driving by will take care of 15% of your gross income requirements right there."

In truth, that happens. In traditional real estate planning for retail businesses, we count feet and cars passing by a specific location in order to determine it's street/retail value. Will's post reminds us how similarly we do that with online real estate.

However, as Tim Staines points out, the fact that the algorithms are currently happy with and blessing generic domain names doesn't mean they will tomorrow. Just as "real" real estate values can go down if foot and vehicle traffic are diverted/reduced for any number of reasons, internet real estate values are not assured in the short or long term.

As a matter of fact, the very fact that the system is being 'gamed' with general profit-making based on the purchase, rental and sale of domain names going far beyond today's activity in that sector would, almost assuredly, mean the engines would consider altering their algorithms in response. The question is, will they?

It's a pretty speculative game already. Will's idea of ratcheting up the dollars, formalizing the funding process and creating a rental, leasing, and sales process that is more mature than what exists today is not without merit. I'm just pretty sure I don't have the financial stomach for it anymore. I'm sure Rand will understand ;)

If an employer is restricting your right as their inhouse SEO to blog about or discuss general SEO tactics that are in use on the corporate website, you might want to negotiate that point. However, sharing industry specific tactics that provide a competitive edge would harm their brand.

Sharing (blogging, commenting, discussing, public speaking) benefits the employee by increasing their professional standing in the community. This increases their value and employers know it. It means the employer may have to pay a higher salary or risk losing the employee to someone who will.

And consider that if you are employed full time with a ABC Cleaning Supplies and you're eating DEF Cleaning Supplies' lunch in the SERPs, DEF's SEOs probably have you on their radar. Anything you share, they will apply to DEF. Ergo, sharing anything means giving aid and comfort to the enemy (competition).

On the flip side, employees who are active in their professional community learn a heck of a lot more than those who squirrel themselves away. There is a lot to be said for the sweat equity gained by hours of focusing on one project. But communication breathes life into ideas. So there is value for the employer if s/he permits the employee to share some tactics and get community feedback.

Precisley what I was thinking as I read this! Opt-in widgets that make linking to your site in the 'correct manner' (as referenced above) easy to do, even by ordinary users. There's no subterfuge and no question about whether the party intended to link to you. Brilliant, indeed. April 15, 2008

And to everyone else reading this... please consdiering joining bUmpInteractiev. While this may be good for a Monday morning laugh, it's also a potentially serious headache/expense for the entire industry. SEOmoz is fortunate indeed to have Sarah on our team to defend our position, but we sure could use all the help we can get.

Come play with us again at SMX East / NYC in October. There will be plenty of prizes, including more SEOmoz emblazoned tech gadgets. (The IPhone and ITouch are SEOmoz engraved. It was just too much fun to pass up the opportunity.) March 12, 2008

I can see that those who are younger might be less interested in the historic and current behavior patterns of teens than those who are older.

I'd like to point out that Evan is, as advertised, a pretty 'quintessential teen', rather than a professional SEO, developer, or affiliate marketer. Although he is related to Rand and me, he isn't part of the business. His interests range from snowboarding to political science. And, as far as being concerned about little kids, I'll vouch for the fact that his response wasn't pablum; it may not be commonplace, but it's Evan's way.

Like Danny, some of the answers blew me away. If we have this panel again - and I hope we do - I'll be specifically interested in whether mobile search is catching on more with teens. Isecond Ran'ds suggestion for adding a behaviorist to the panel and I'd take up Evan's offer of bringing some more 'regular teens' to the conversation.

Get your flight here, Will! A mere USD $2844 - that's about £32.50, right? OK so it's really about £1422, but it's first class all the way and direct from Stansted to Vegas. What more can you ask? November 28, 2007

Strength, MG! If you weren't so good at this, we could afford to lose you. But there are precious few who match your superb wit, talent, and geniune joy of living. Keep sharing it with our community. Your light is needed - and appreciated - more than you know. October 18, 2007

Shor is right on target. He's an expert in this specific field, so he knows exactly how the process works. Here at SEOmoz, we have nothing like the 13 million uniques to view/click on ads. We actually sell services. The Times' revenue model is therefore very different - they make $$ on the ads and by blocking all but 220k viewers to so many pages, they were losing a lot of ad revenue.

You have a valid point. The NY Times suffered greatly. Here's where I think we differ.

SEOmoz offers free information, some guides, the blog and more without cost to all the world. In addition, we recognize that there are needs that we can fill for SEO professionals at various levels of expertise, company size, and needs. We are currently serving individual SEO memberships. In the future, there will be a more robust selection of memberships to choose from. Not everyone (nor every corporation) has the same SEO requirements. We'll tailor to fit needs as we see them.

If we were simply providing Guides and/or other articles behind a firewall, I don't think it would be a valuable proposition and I wouldn't do it. We are offering tools, community, a growing knowledge base, and 'consulting' through the Q&A, as well as discounts to conferences such as SMX and more goodies to come soon. What we are really doing is providing a suite of SEO services on a subscription basis, rather than simply reading content.

Woah! TWO of my heroines with kind words in one day! I'm honored, ladies. ...and offsite (email me) let me know what's going on at High Rankings. Those of us holding the reigns should connect more often. September 28, 2007

Thanks for the kind words. I'm a real fan of your work, so it means a lot to me.

I haven't read the book that came first, Built to Last. But as the title implies, it's about the sustainability of great companies. In the forward to Good to Great, Collins notes that that Good to Great should have come first. I'm going to read Built to Last now.

About 'great companies', remember: Collin's 'great companies' have only to do with their ability to achieve and maintain significantly higher financial returns for their investors. It's strictly a money thing. But I'm with you; there's more to a great company than the cash it returns to its founders, investors, et al.

I also find it very frustrating to hear, "You HAVE to read this!" As soon as those words are spilled, I invariably want to do anything but read whatever was just recommended.

I'd counsel we read everything with a grain of salt rather than just inhale stuff like whatever prevailing weed-scent is wafting by. It's one thing to read and accumulate knowledge so you can cross reference, meld, and create a greater understand of potentialities, ideas, trends, etc (Reingold says it well). Quite another to merely replace the 'idea du jour' - and stuff it down the next guy's throat - in hopes of curing the ills that beset you because you're too lazy or incapable of sorting through the info at your disposal to solve them yourself. That's what I meant by the term 'thin thinkers' and I htink you mean it too. No depth; no application.

PS - You don't HAVE to read this book! ;)

PPS - David. You may be many things, but thin-thinker ain't one of them!